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If you’re not convinced about the importance of great spelling and good grammar, then a once-in-a-lifetime dream job – currently advertised at MAINSTREET – may well change your mind.
Based in Palo Alto, California, it’s with the folks at Facebook.
“Extra” perks include “micro-kitchens and free snacks” at the company’s various offices, and employees at the Palo Alto location get free breakfast, lunch and dinner (which may explain why Facebook also reimburses 50% of their gym fees).
There’s a free shuttle service to and from San Francisco, and a laundry and dry cleaning service. Daycare or babysitting costs for employees who have pre-schoolers are subsidised up to $3,000 a year!For Word Nerds only?But don’t bother applying if you don’t know your adjectives from your elbow because even though the Facebook website is littered with some of the scariest spelling on the planet, the company itself understands the importance of showing a professional corporate face.
Among the many skills required of the next director of corporate communications, Facebook – not surprisingly – wants someone who knows AP style guidelines and has “excellent” grammar skills.A kick in the pantsFabulous as the job is, I reckon whoever wrote the ad needs a kick in the pants – and some urgent lessons in Plain English (maybe from whoever gets the dream job!).
The director’s duties, according to the ad, include supporting “the company’s global monetization efforts and programs” and developing and executing “strategies for global public relations programs related to monetization programs, especially direct and online advertising”.
Coming from such a cutting-edge company, the gobbledegook-laden advert is enough to have poor old *Maury Maverick turning in his grave.

If the wording in the Facebook ad isn’t enough to make your heart sink, here’s another example:
“We have never adopted a confrontational stance on matters and we have been raising matters where matters have arisen wherein things have happened.” Attributed to South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma (Sunday Times, Hogarth column, May 30).